Concerns with miles on 2007

[chris_maxwell]

My 6.5 is probably needing at minimum a head gasket job; only 12 K on engine. I suspect pulling a 10K trailer was too much for it.

There is a 2007 Duramax 2500 Classic for sale for 18K but it has 259,000 miles on it. It has been used as a pilot truck so the miles I would think have been easy. The only work that has been performed on it is a transfer case replacement an alternator, and batteries. The hour meter says 6,100.

It has had Amsoil oil and filter since the first oil change at 15,000 mile interval's. What expenses do I need to be concerned with down the road in the near future? I don't want to buy another problem waiting to happen; maybe I should just fix my 95 with under over drive.

Any suggestions appreciated; money is tight so I need to buy right or just fix my 95. The Duramax sure had a lot more performance.....

[CoyleJR]

Chris,
The 07 Classic truck will have the LBZ motor in it and so does my 06 truck. My truck has been bullet proof and is by far the best truck that I have ever owned. There does seem to be one problem with some of these trucks that occurs most often when towing heavy trailers on hot days. The problem is the P0087 low fuel pressure code. Read what Jim posted in the DP "Feature articles" before you decide about buying the truck. Additionally, you did not indicate if the 07 truck was 4x4,CC or standard cab. I am not an authority on truck value but $18k for a 07 truck (in any configuration) with 249k miles seems like a little high to me.
I am sure you will make the correct decision and you are smart to ask for other members thoughts before buying a used truck.

Good luck
John

[chris_maxwell]

Thanks for the reply John,

I guess since he never towed with it he may not have had the low fuel pressure issue. I did read articles about the Duramax and the differences but have not read the low fuel pressure code, I will do than next.

The truck is a 4 x 4 with an extended cab and an 8 foot box which is what I prefer. It is a LT-3 trim with the only Mod being a K and N air filter, and the Hypertech chip.

The owner claims the thing has been trouble free and the only reason he is selling it is because he has inoperable cancer and has up to two years to live.

I think 18 is high, he said the lowest he will go is 17, I offered 15, the dealer offered him 11.....

[AKMark]

My truck has 14,000 hours. 05 Duramax, but has only 102,000 miles.

Price is too high, and I bet injectors have been done in there somewhere.

[rapidoxidationman]

$18K seems WAY high for over a quarter million miles. Anecdotal evidence: I bought my '05 a little over 2 years ago for $17K with 126K miles on it. Long bed extended cab 4x4 LT trim. Keep looking or talk him into your offer.
The K&N rock - umm, I mean - AIR filter is not a selling feature. In fact, I'd pull it out and do the white glove test on the "clean" side of that filter... Just say'n.

BTW, my engine timer has about six hundred hours on it and I'm up to 180K miles;). It resets when it feels like it.

And yes: The duramax DOES have a lot more performance...

[chris_maxwell]

So at what point should I be concerned with miles on the vehicle. My Bro in Law who is a trucker says that most people start to have a lot of problems around 300K; is this a true statement?

I think I really like the 2006-2007 classic models.

[More Power]

Be sure to visit www.kbb.com (http://www.kbb.com) to see what the truck is actually worth.

With a quarter million miles, and depending on how the truck was driven, you could see a variety of smaller problems. Front wheel unit-bearing hubs. Driveline u-joints. Rear wheel bearing seals. Tie rods, idler arm, Pittman arm, brake calipers/pads, water pump, and radiator (sediment buildup and thermal degradation in the plastic end-tanks and hoses). We did a story on a 250,000 mile 6.5 some years ago that had 3-4" of sediment buildup in the radiator.

If this was a truck used on winter roads in the rust belt, you may consider looking at the steel brake lines and fuel lines.

Ordinarily, smaller problems like these aren't necessarily a problem for older trucks because the truck is usually paid for and taxes/license are more inexpensive. Routine out of pocket expenses don't hurt as much - they do when you're also making significant truck payments each month. Of course, if most of what I've mentioned here have already been replaced, the recommendation could change.

[chris_maxwell]

Thanks for the reply Jim.

I have not crawled up under it or anything to check for rust; but since he used it commercially it appears he maintained it well. The routes he mostly did was from WA to AZ and Lewiston ID to Montana (they were hauling some type of big tanks I believe to clean). It has never towed anything its whole like. He said he went to the east only a few times.

He never had any engine work done so they have the original injectors and no head issues. He belives because the big rigs injectors last for 750K miles that these ones will also. With the potential of a 4K injector job it concerns me.

KBB says it is worth 18K private party, he will take 17K.

[More Power]

Thanks for the reply Jim.

He belives because the big rigs injectors last for 750K miles that these ones will also. With the potential of a 4K injector job it concerns me.

KBB says it is worth 18K private party, he will take 17K.

He's selling the truck and/or likely doesn't know anything about Bosch high-pressure common-rail injector life. I wouldn't count on them lasting that long.

I'm told retail LBZ injector replacement is currently costing about $6500 for an out the door R&R. This is about $2k above an LB7, due to changes in the injectors. Try to get the truck price down a bit to cover an injector replacement - or at least split the difference with him.

The engine itself, I wouldn't worry about. The 6.5 cooling system I mentioned in a previous post was for the older green coolant, not the newer long-life Dex-Cool, which has a considerably longer service cycle.

[Kennedy]

Used late model diesel trucks scare me. The unknown of what may be waiting to bite a guy in the ass and the sheer cost of a used truck plus astronomical costs of repairs well ugh! Often times the old saying "only the rich can afford to buy cheap" (ie:used) applies.

Tcase reman $2k
Injectors $5k+
Head gaskets $4-5k
Transmission $4k? min
Wheel bearing job $700?
Steering rebuild can cross $1k
I've done $1k brake jobs already due to rotor rust and caliper condition


Not all used are bad, but I've seen SO many guys buy into "good used" diesel trucks only to drown with repair bills. If I were buying used I'd be looking for a truck like MP's but newer. A garage queen that gets very infrequent use, but enough to keep it in good shape.


Now a lot of this changes if you can get an exceptional deal and/or if you can fix yourself. Knowing and trusting the seller and all vehicle history goes a long ways.


A5150nut is or was on a quest for a good used truck. Maybe he'll chime in.

[a5150nut]

Well with an inticement like the one Kennedy offered I will chime in.

Finnishing the paperwor on an 06 K3500 DMax Allison with under 18k on the clock. Did my homework on price and looked at lots of pictures, KBB, and Carfax. Managed to strike a deal at $29,500.

I had wanted leather, sunroof, and nav system but this truck has very low miles, is in great shape, and has a few other added goodies on it. I did find several newer trucks with the options I wanted but when I saw multiple trips to the dealer for "drivability issiues" i shighed away. There are many here who can help with those issues but why fight it if you can find one with a better record.

The big thing is take your time, do your homework, and wait for the deal you want. Not the one someone wants to give you. I have bought two used 3/4 ton trucks over my years both right at two years used. Both served very well and many miles.

Good luck in your hunting and be patient.

[chris_maxwell]

I haven’t found anything close to that here, best deal i have seen in Puget Sound is 36K for a 2006 with 50K miles on it.

I can’t see paying that much for something that probably had a window sticker of 45-50K and is now 8 years old.

Maybe I am best off just spending the money on my 6.5 motor one more time; but I hate working it that hard.

[Kennedy]

The LMM's really aren't that bad if you lobotomize them. The LBZ's are often bringing crazy money due to pent up demand. Makes me think hard about selling my 2007 while the miles are still low.

I had a customer come in a couple years back with his 2007 LBZ crew so I could turn it back to stock. He had it sold to a guy in TX as I recall for over $43k or something like that. This truck was cherry mind you. The kind of truck that when dust settles on it you know that the finish is ultra clean underneath. I don't recall the odometer if it was in the hundreds or if it had a few thousand miles, but it was new and a few years old.

[a5150nut]

Chris,

I used AutoTrader.com you can set up all the things you want to sort by including prime zip code and how far out. 500 mile radias will give up to 599 miles out. Or you can search the whole country. Onces you figure uot your search put in for email updates.

Good luck and happy hunting!

[gimpyhauler]

I bought my '07 Classic, LB/CC with just under 150,000 miles in about 2009 for $25,000 out the door. No work had been performed other than maintenance. Have about 185,000 now and still only oil changes. Got rid of 18" tires and went back to stock rims and BFG all terrain tires. 34 gallon tank. 84 gallon transfer tank. Tool box in bed. Reversible gooseneck hitch.

Not sure what it'd take to get me to replace this rig.

My only complaint now that I'm in snow country? My build sheet says I have a block heater but I am unable to find it. :cool:

[DmaxMaverick]

......My only complaint now that I'm in snow country? My build sheet says I have a block heater but I am unable to find it. :cool:

They all have a block heater. Look for the power cord bundled and taped to a wire loom below the coolant reservoir area. Carefully inspect the condition of the cord, as it's been bundled there for a few years. Extend it to where you need the end to be. The tow hook area is a good place, if you want it outside the engine compartment.

[chris_maxwell]

Thanks for the reply; sounds a lot like what he is saying.

260K only thing done is transfer case, alternator, and regular maintenance of oil and fuel filters.

So you must haul with yours, this one has never hauled anything except furniture to help his daughter move.

I keep looking but it is hard to find a one owner truck or one that you really got a history on. No matter what they all seem to have many miles on them, 170-250K.

I did offer him 14 today via email I will see what he comes back with

[Kennedy]

My only complaint now that I'm in snow country? My build sheet says I have a block heater but I am unable to find it. :cool:


One of my earliest Tech Tips:

http://www.kennedydiesel.com/dmaxblockheater.cfm